Rental fraud: the Facebook and Gumtree scam targeting desperate tenants

Posing as a landlord, fraudsters post adverts for affordable properties to lure victims into parting with deposits upfrontYou’re desperately hunting for somewhere to live and scouring rental sites. The odds are stacked against you. Rents are high everywhere – in London tenants are paying almost £1,000 for a shoe cupboard with a bed – and living rooms have gone from a regular commodity to a luxury. But matters are made worse by scammers.Young people now account for three-quarters of rental fraud, according to data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). Last year alone almost £9m was lost across about 5,000 reported cases.Do not pay any deposit upfront without seeing a property, no matter how desperate you are to find a home.Make sure you go to see any property before you commit to renting.Gumtree advises: “Always ask to see proof of ownership, or the landlord’s right to let, and ensure a tenancy agreement is in place before paying deposits or holding fees.”Stand your ground; if something seems fishy, it probably is.On social media, or listing websites, check when the landlord’s profile was created. How long have they been active? Do they seem to be advertising multiple properties with similar messages? What comes up when you search their name?If a landlord is claiming to be part of the NRLA, you can check whether their accreditation is legitimate here.Report fraudulent accounts to Facebook and Gumtree. Continue reading...Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei TheGuardian Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei TheGuardian